Cognitive-behavioral treatment of panic attacks in chronic schizophrenia

Although panic attacks have been described as relatively common in schizophrenia, few studies have examined treatments for this problem. Because cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has demonstrated efficacy for panic disorder without schizophrenia, the authors conducted an open clinical trial of CBT for the treatment of panic attacks in schizophrenic patients. Eight patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for schizophrenia and panic disorder were given a 16-week clinical trial of CBT. Ratings after treatment demonstrated both a statistically significant reduction in panic symptoms and a diminution in the number of panic attacks compared with baseline ratings. These results suggest use of CBT in the integrated treatment of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and panic disorder is a promising approach that merits further investigation.